Pill-machine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. R. CLARK.

PILL MACHINE.

,830. Patented Feb. 3, 1891.

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J43. CLARK. PILL MACHINE.

No. 445,830. Patented Feb. 3, 1891.

NTOR: WITNESSES: INVE a awg (No Model.) 4SheetsShe et-3 J. R. CLARK.

PILL MAG'HINE. I No. 445,830. Patented Feb. 3,1891.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. R. CLARK.

PILL MACHINE.

,830. Patented Feb. 3,1891.

WITNESSES:

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. CLARK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PILL-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,830, dated February 3, 1891.

Application filed March 18, 1889- Sorial N0- 303,683. (No model.)

To all whom'it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES R.OLARK,21. citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pill-Machines, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of novelfeatures in a machine for making compressed pills, tablets, lozenges, &G., as will be hereinafter set forth and definitely claimed.

Figure 1 represents apart-ial side elevation and partial vertical section of a pill-making machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation at a right angle to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of the upper and lower dies and connected parts on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4: represents a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the mechanism which imparts swinging motions to the pan or hopper of the machine. Fig. 5 represents a partial vertical section and partial side elevation of a lower die and connections. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of the lower portion of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a top view of the lower dies. Fig. 8 represents a perspective view of an upper die and a chuck for holding the same. Fig. 9 represents a top or plan view of the pan or hopper of the machine. Fig. 10 represents a vertical section thereof. Fig. 11 represents a top or plan view of the pan or hopper and connected mechanism, including a top or plan view of the upper die and adjacent portion of the table. Fig. 12 represents a view of a portion of 11. Fig. 13 represents a partial side elevation and partial vertical section of a portion of the mechanism for operating the lever of the lower die. Fig. 14 representsahorizontal section of a portion on line co m, Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the frame of the machine, and B designates a horizontally-arranged shaft at the upper portion thereof, said shaft carrying a gearwheel 1, which meshes with a pinion 2, the shaft 3 of said wheel 2 being mounted on the frame A and receiving power from the crank or driving wheel 4:.

Guided in the frame A is a vertically-arranged bar or rod 0, whose upper end or head carries a roller 5, with which is adapted to engage the cam 6 on the shaft B. At the side of said head is a segmental shoulder 7, with which is adapted to engage the segmental piece 8 on the wheel 1, (see Figs. 1 and 13,) said piece being designed to ride under said shoulder 7, and thus raise the rod 0. When the cam 6 rotates, it bears against the roller 5, and thus depresses the rod.

D designates a lever which has one limb bifurcated, as at 9, for engagement with the rod 0, near the lower end thereof. Above said limb is a collar or shoulder 10, and be low. the same is a spring 11, which bears against a shoulder on the lower end of the rod 0, and also against the lever D, it being seen that, owing to the collar lOand spring 11, when the rod 0 is operated motion is in1- parted to the lever D alternately in opposite directions. The lever D is mounted on the frame A, and the limb thereof opposite to the bifurcation 9 engageswith the slide or carrier E of the lower dies F,,wherebyithe latter may be raised and lowered, said dies being guided in a block or bed .12, whichis below the table 13, as shown in the drawings, and secured thereto, and are connected at their tops with a guide F, which is vertically moved in the table 13.

G designates the upper dies, which are connected with the slide or head 14, said head being guided in the frame A and carrying at its upper end a roller 15, which is engaged by a cam 16 on the shaft B, whereby the up per dies may be lowered. The return motion of said dies is accomplished by a lever H, which is mounted on the frame A and has one limb freely engaging with pin 17' on the slide or head 14, the other limb having connected with it a bar J, which is attached to the rod 0.

The shaft B carries a bevel-pinion 18, which meshes with a pinion 19 on a vertical shaft K, the latter having connected with it at its lower end cams 20, which engage with fingers 21 on a swinging bifurcated piece L, the limbs of which latter carry screws 22, which project inwardly, so as to alternately engage with the sides of an arm 23, connected with the oscillating pan or hopper M, which is freely fitted on the shaft K and rests on the table 13 and contains the material from which the pills are to be made. The shaft K and the shaft L of the arm L are niounted on the frame A, as will be seen most clearly in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. Mounted 011 said shaft K is a gear-wheel 24, with which gears an idler 25, whose shaft is attached to the top of the pan H. Gearing with said idler is a pinion 26, whose shaft 27 passes through said pan M and carries on its lower end distributing and agitating vanes 28, which extend tangentially from a hub on said shaft 27.

To the outer ends of the vanes 28 are attached arms or drags 29, provided with loops or cars forming the chambers 30.

In the bottom of the pan M, with which the arms 28 and 29 are in contact, is a dischargeport 31, it being noticed that the pan M is located partly above the table 13 and the port 31 so disposed that at a certain time it is over the lower dies, whereby a charge of material passes through said port and is directed to the working-faces of said dies. It will be seen that when the shaft K is rota-ted the wheel 24 is operated by the same, whereby motion is imparted to the gearing 25 and 2.6, the result of which is the revolution of the arms 28 and 29, said arms sweeping around on the bottom of the pan M, so as to agitate and distribute the material and cause the proper discharge of the same. The cams 20, which also rotate with the shaft K, move the fingers 21, whereby the piece L is moved in opposite directions, and the arm 23, engaged by the set-screws in the limbs of said piece, carries the pan forward and backward or to and from the working-faces of the lower dies. The pan M is formed of a top 32 and base 33, the top being at one side of the base and opposite to the port 31, as will be seen in 10. The arms 28 convey the material from the top into the main part of the base 33, preventing packing or clogging of the material in the top and base, and especially at the port 31.

On the side of the pan is a wiper-finger or brush 34, which is preferably formed of a strip of spring metal and adapted to sweep over the table 13 and remove the pills.

The carrierE for the lower dies has a stem 35 depending therefrom, the same entering an opening 36 in the base 37 of the machine, whereby said carrier may be guided accurately in its rising and falling motions. In order to adjust the extent of descent of said carrier E, and consequently of the lower dies, a screw 38 is passed vertically through the base .37 to serve as a stop against which the carrier may abut. (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

In order to secure the lower dies to the carrier, said dies are formed wit-h necks 39, with which engages a slotted sliding plate 40, the

latter being removably fitted to flanges 41 on the carrier. E. (See Figs.,3, 5, 6, and 7.) It is evident that when the plate 40 is withdrawn from the flanges 41 the dies and carrier are disconnected; The upper dies are connected with their carriers 14 by means of necks 42 on said dies and a screw 43, passing through the carrier and engaging with said necks. By removing said screw the dies may be readily detached from the carrier.

The pan or hopper M is detachably connected with the arm 23 by a dovetailed lug and slot, as at 44, and secured thereto by a screw 45, which passes through said arm and is adapted to tighten against said lug.

The operation is as follows: Power is applied to the shaft 3, whereby motion is imparted to the other movable members of the machine. The shaft 0 is raised, whereby, owing to the lever D, the lower dies F descend a certain distance. The pan M nowadvances and sweeps over the table 13 until its port3l is directly over the lower die, when a quantity or charge of material falls through said port and drops on the top of the lower die. The pan now returns .and the discharge of material is stopped. The upper die then descends, it being evident that the workingfaces of the two dies meet, and thus compress the material between them, whereby a pill is formed. The upper die now rises and the lower die rises to the level of the table. The pan or hopper again returns and the wiper 34 sweeps the pill from the lower die-and directs it to the side of the table, where it may be collected. The port 31 of the pan is again brought over said die, whereby the dieisagain supplied or charged. The pan then returns and the two dies close, so as to compress the material, whereby another pill is formed. The dies then recede and the pill is raised and swept from the die and table, after which the operations hereinbefore stated are repeated. The bottom of thecarrier 14 has the upper dies connected to the same by means of the screw 43, as has been stated, said screw passing horizontally through the necks 42 of the dies and the adjacent portion of the chuck 46 at the bottom of the ca-rrieror head.

In the carrier is fitted'the screw 47, having its lower end bearing against the top of the chuck 46, by which means the position of the chuck in the carrier can be regulated. The guides 48 of the lower dies are secured in the bed or block 12 by means of the screws 49.

Both guides 48 and F maybe removed and others substituted therefor for eitherone, two, three, or more dies, as required. For a single die the split holder 14, Fig. 8, is employed, the same receiving the upper end of the'die and being compressed by the chuck 46.

A spring 51, secured to the rear ends of the levers H and D,'may, serve in place of the bar IIO J to raise the front end of the lever H when 1 0 the pressure is relieved therefrom, and thereby lift the upper dies.

lIavin g thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A lower die and a pivoted lever connected therewith at one end, in combination with a sliding rod having a shoulder thereon and attached to the other end of the said lever, a cam engaging with the said rod for lowering the same, and a wheel with a piece thereon adapted to engage with said shoulder for raising said rod, substantially as described.

2. An -upper die connected with a sliding head having a roller at its upper end, a driving-shaft with a cam thereon, a lever, and a rising and falling rod with a bar connected therewith and adapted to engage said lever, said parts being combined substantially as described. I

3. A swinging pan, in combination with means for operating the same, consisting of a lever connected with said pan, a rotary shaft with cams thereon, a swinging bifurcated piece cngaged by said cams, screws on the limbs of said bifurcated piece, and fingers carried by the said piece and adapted to en gage the arm of the pan, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. I11 a pillmaking machine, a frame, in combination with a drivin g-shaft having cams thereon and journaled in said frame, arising and falling rod guided in said frame and having a segmental shoulder on the side of the head of the rod, a roller on said head, and a train of gearing for operating said drivingshaft, one of the wheels of said train having a segmental piece adapted to engage with said shoulder, substantially as and for the purpose described. h

5. A swinging pan or hopper having a discharge-port and provided with vanes,in combination with means, substantially as described, for rotating said vanes and mechanism, substantially as described, connected with said pan for oscillating the same, as set forth.

6. In a pill-making machine, a drivingshaft with cams thereon, a rising and falling rod, an upper die with a vertically-slidin g head, the latter having a pin thereon, a lever, and a bar, the latter connected with the said rising and falling rod, said parts being combined substantially as described.

7. In a pill-making machine, a pivoted lever, in combination with a carrier having dies thereon, a table, a block below said table, and

guides for the dies in said table, substantially as described.

8. In a pill-making machine, the pivoted lever D, the carrier E, with the lower dies F, the table 13, and the block 12 below said table and secured thereto, the said dies having the guides I?" at their top vertically guided in the said table, said parts being combined substantially as described.

9. In a pill-making machine, a die formed with a neck, a slotted sliding plate engaging with said neck, and a carrier with flanges thereon, with which said plate is adapted to engage, said parts being combined substantially as described.

10. In a pill-making machine, the vertical rotary shaft K, with the cams 20 thereon, the

shaft L, with the swinging bifurcated piece L, having the finger 21 and the inwardlyprojecting screws 22, and the pan M, with the arm 23, said parts being combined substantially as described.

11. In a pill-making machine, the rotary shaft K, with gear-wheel 24, the pan M, with a shaft attached to the top thereof and having the idler 25 thereon, the shaft 27, passing through said panand having the pinion 26, and the distributing-vanes 28 thereon, said parts being combined substantially as de scribed.

12. In a pill-machine, the pan or hopper M, formed of a top 32 and base 38, the top being at one side of the base or eccentric thereto, and mechanism, substantially as described, connected with said pan for oscillating the same, said parts being combined substantially as stated.

13. In a pillanachine, an oscillating pan with rotary agitating-vanes within the same and a wiper on the outer side thereof, said parts being combined substantially as described.

14. In a pill-machine, an upper die with mechanism, substantially as described, connected with the carrier thereof for raising and lowering the same, a table with a block below the same, a lower die guided in said block, and a swinging hopper with an opening in its base, said parts being combined substantially as described.

JAMES R. CLARK.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDEnsHnIM, A. 1 JENNINGS. 

